Wake Forest Reaches Out to Local Students

Earlier this month, the Wake Forest University Schools of Business and Law welcomed 24 students from Hill Arts Magnet Middle School to the Worrell Professional Center on April 9, 2010 as part of the Achievement Through Partnership Adopt-a-School program. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. had the vision to raise expectations for these students to not only attend college, but to consider graduate educations in business or law.
Christopher Martin, the Guide Right Director of the Winston-Salem Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, organized the event with the help of Dr. Derrick Boone (below), Associate Professor of Marketing, Dr. Timothy Davis, Professor of Law, and Eugene Young, President of Wake Forest University’s Black MBA Association.
The 7th and 8th grade students had the opportunity to attend an MBA or Law class, tour the campus and take part in a question and answer session with graduate students, professors and working professionals.
This field trip to Wake Forest University was one in a series of activities for the Achievement Through Partnership Adopt-a-School program. In March, students took part in a career assessment exercise to match their talents and passions with career fields.

To view a video about the program, go here.

Face Time With the Original Ben & Jerry…?

Hello, everyone. I wanted to provide a update. I have been selected as one of four finalists to ask the founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream a question at the NC CEO Forum (www.ncceoforum.com) next month. I am eager to represent Wake Forest (the other finalists are from three other MBA programs).

I can’t do this alone. I need everyone to click here starting Friday to vote for my entry. Vote frequently and vote often. If I win, I will be tweeting at the event (perhaps while on stage) and will share the entire experience via this blog. This requires a massive team effort ... I need your support!

~ Paul Davis

Here is a snippet of the letter I received this morning from the organizers:

Congratulations! You have been chosen to represent Wake Forest University as a finalist in the 2010 N.C. CEO Forum's "CEOs of Tomorrow" contest. As stated in the contest-entry rules, you will be granted admission to the May 18 event to participate in valuable face-time and networking with hundreds of the area's business leaders and CEOs – but the grand prize is still up for grabs.
Starting Friday, April 30 until Monday, May 10, your name and question will be posted to the "CEOs of Tomorrow" section of the N.C. CEO Forum website (www.ncceoforum.com) for public voting. Using your online social and professional networks, it is your job to drive votes in your favor for a chance to ask your question on stage to keynote speakers Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc. at the event. Encourage your supporters to vote multiple times throughout the contest.

Wake Forest Honors Graduating Seniors

Wake Forest University Schools of Business students, faculty and staff gathered at Wake Forest’s Bridger Field House on Tues., April 6, to celebrate the pending graduation of the senior class of 2010 and recognize their outstanding achievements.
As the evening’s keynote speaker, James Evans (MSA ’03) shared his life’s journey that led him to Wake Forest University and talked about the key mentors that guided him through his collegiate experience and postgraduate career. After losing both of his parents by the time he was 10 years old, Evans was raised by his older sister and an encouraging church community in Kernersville, NC.
Evans first fell in love with Wake Forest when his family attorney took him to a basketball game, setting him on his eventual path. Evans applied for every conceivable scholarship available hoping to become the first member of his family to receive a college education. He received a scholarship from Wake Forest that allowed him to pursue his dreams and capitalize on the opportunities his community provided. Once at Wake Forest, Evans entered the accountancy program and was mentored by Betsy Hoppe, associate dean of student academic affairs, who would advise him through the rough patches he encountered while pursuing his degree.
During his remarks, Evans spoke about the importance of hard work as well as the responsibility and duty to make good on the opportunities that have been provided. Evans challenged each to recognize the team of people that helped set them up for success. He imparted his belief that there is no such thing as an individual achievement and that each accomplishment is due to the support system offered by a team that includes family, friends, faculty and staff.
“I was honored when the leadership from the Schools of Business asked me to speak,” Evans said. “I hope my words helped the students to see how fortunate they are to have had the opportunity to attend Wake Forest. The University is such a great and supportive place, but it can be difficult to appreciate just how special it truly is without the proper perspective that comes with time. Hopefully my words conveyed just a bit of that to the graduating seniors and in time I hope they grow to love the University as much as I do. It is truly a magnificent place that supports students in a way that other institutions just cannot match.”
Following Evan’s address, Dean Steve Reinemund and Gordon McCray, senior associate dean, recognized nearly 20 graduating students who are members of Beta Gamma Sigma. They also presented individual student academic achievement awards for Schools of Business majors: accounting, business and enterprise management, finance, and mathematical business.
Schools of Business students with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on all college work and who are members of Beta Gamma Sigma are invited to apply for “honors” recognition. A project, paper, or readings and an oral presentation or examination are required. In the past 10 years, fewer than five students have achieved this honor. This year, one student, James Harold Smith will graduate with “honors” in finance.
Andrea Joyce Kensy received the Delmer Paul Hylton Accountancy Award, which pays tribute to Professor Hylton by recognizing the outstanding academic achievement of a graduating accounting major. Kensey was also a member of the Wake Forest Schools of Business team who represented the U.S. and became the World Champions when they won the KPMG Global case competition in Athens last month.
Christopher Michael Langley received the Wall Street Journal Award, which is given annually for outstanding achievement by a graduating finance major in the Schools of Business. Ellen Margaret Abbott received the Lura Baker Paden Award, which honors outstanding academic achievement by a graduating business major.
Daniel Lewis Ruehr received the Award for Academic Excellence in Mathematical Business, which honors the outstanding academic performance of a graduating mathematical business major in the Schools of Business.
Susan Michelle Manship received the Spirit of Wayne Calloway Award, which honors an individual who exemplifies the best that the School has to offer the business world and society. The recipient is an individual whose actions and attitude convey high personal and professional integrity; whose effort level is indicative of a strong sense of personal responsibility; whose goals reflect a commitment to personal and professional growth; and whose achievements demonstrate uncommon dedication and talent -- an individual who is admired by, and inspiring to, others.
Dean Reinemund closed the evening congratulating the award recipients and all future graduates in the class of 2010, noting the pride that comes with introducing this graduating class to the professional world.

~ Republished from the Wake Forest University Schools of Business website.

Lessons in Leadership

“It doesn’t matter where you are, it’s where you can go,” said Sandra Miller Jones, founding chair of Segmented Marketing Services, Inc. The Winston-Salem native spoke this evening to several female Wake Forest University MBA faculty, staff, students and representatives from companies across the country; this was the kickoff event for the inaugural WFU MBA Women’s Weekend.

She left Winston-Salem to attend Howard University in Washington, DC, where she achieved her degree in Sociology. At the time, she was not entirely certain where the future would lead her – though she was learning valuable life lessons. In her last year of college, she worked for the National Housing Authority. She and a group of colleagues had completed a study and decided to take their thoughts to Capitol Hill for a proposal to Congress; they were shot down. Jones quickly learned that it wasn’t entirely about how much she studied or how many activities that she was involved in, but also very much about who she knew. The moral of her story: never underestimate the importance of building and maintaining business relationships – they are essential to one’s career and can aid one in truly making an impact in their chosen field.

Next Jones set her sights on an MBA from North Western University located in Chicago. She worked very hard, citing the fact that she knew that scholarship money was available from 1^st National Bank in Chicago and so she went and asked how to attain the funding, and received the scholarship. “Sometimes it is just being there and asking for what you need,” she said.

Afterwards, she went on to work for Quaker Oats where initially she was one of three women within the marketing department. “Now over half of managers in marketing are female, why is that?” Jones questioned the intently listening audience. As she went on to explain the increasingly important role that women play within the business world, Jones brought up a conversation that she had recently with the Susan Ivey, the chairman and CEO of Reynolds American. “It’s not so much gender challenges, as it is balancing work and life,” Jones said, citing Ivey. Women still face the challenges of not only being a leader within the work place, but also the challenges of being moms, wives, etc. “It is not about what you have, but asking yourself ‘what am I willing to give up?’” she said.

As a leader within the Quaker Oats company, she led several initiatives to market products, such as Instant Grits, to those in the Southeast and to African-Americans. By getting out into the communities and giving out gift bags and products samples, Jones was able to use her personal experiences and values to create profitable opportunities for her company. “Bring your personal understanding and empathy to your brand,” she said.

As she went on to close, Jones encouraged the women around her to make decisions “for your life” and “set priorities for yourself” without the focus being on how others will perceive you. At the end of the day, it is about fostering and maintaining the relationships within our lives and each day, remembering that all you can do – is the best you can do.

-Molly Nunn

Wake Forest to Hire Diversity Advocate

Diversity efforts continue at the Wake Forest University Schools of Business.

Dean Steve Reinemund on Friday announced that the Wake Forest University Schools of Business is conducting a search for a new diversity and inclusion advocate, creating a position that is in line with other efforts to build a more inclusive faculty and student body.

At a meeting last week with evening MBA students, Reinemund said the school was close to hiring two Hispanic women for tenure-track posts (historic firsts for the schools of business) and was in negotiations to add a second African-American to the faculty.

The school is also looking to hire a new director of student services, who would handle admissions, career services and student affairs. Those roles have been held by Charles Iacovou (right), who will take on a greater role assisting the dean in faculty related matters.

Here is the complete letter that Dean Reinemund sent to the student body this afternoon:

 

Dear Schools of Business Students:

We have made great strides over the past two years as a result of the tremendous commitment of our faculty and staff. In particular, Michelle Roehm’s commitment to our faculty has been outstanding. In her short tenure she has led remarkable improvements toward the excellence we all seek in teaching, research, and service. This commitment has come with an enormous personal sacrifice to her family and has taken her away from teaching and research. In a decision that I announce with regret but with complete support, Michelle has decided to step down from the team and return to her position as a full-time professor. It has been my great honor to have worked with Michelle and I know you will join me in thanking her for her exceptional service and wish her well as she transitions out of this position. As much as I will miss her important contributions to the team, I am confident she will continue to lead in creative, compassionate and critical ways. 

Michelle will continue serving as the Senior Associate Dean of Faculty until December and then Charles Iacovou will step in to this role. Michelle and Charles are committed to a smooth transition over the next seven months. 

With Michelle’s departure, we are rethinking the structure of the senior leadership team in order to continue our drive for excellence. We will be dividing the role that Charles has played into two positions: one will concentrate on the full-time MBA, Working Professionals MBA, MSA and MA programs; and the other will oversee the student services area consisting of Admissions, Career Services and Student Affairs.

We will also be building our team with a diversity advocate who will drive all our diversity and inclusion efforts.

I am pleased to announce the following senior leadership team and the undergraduate and graduate program directors:

Senior Leadership Team:

· Faculty: Charles Iacovou, Senior Associate Dean of Faculty

· Graduate Programs: Scott Shafer, Senior Associate Dean of Graduate Business Programs

· Undergraduate Programs: Gordon McCray, Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Business and Auxiliary Programs

· Diversity & Inclusion: search in progress

· Alumni: Gordon Soenksen, Associate Dean of Advancement

· Staff and Financial Accountability: David Patterson, Assistant Dean of Administration

· Student services (Admissions, Career Services, Student Affairs): search in progress

The undergraduate program directors will continue to be:

· Accounting – Yvonne Hinson

· Business & Enterprise Management – Pat Dickson

· Finance – Bill Marcum

· Math Business – Umit Akinc

There are some changes to the graduate program directors. The graduate program director team will consist of:

· MSA Program – Yvonne Hinson, Director of Accountancy

· Working Professional MBA Programs (Charlotte and Winston-Salem) – Bill Davis, Associate Dean of WPP

· Full-time MBA Program – Sherry Moss, Director of Full time MBA Program

· MA Program – Derrick Boone, Director of MA Program

Changes will be effective upon graduation this spring with the exception of those related to the Senior Associate Dean of Faculty. Michelle will transition out of the Senior Associate Dean of Faculty in December and Charles will come in then.

I want to acknowledge the enthusiasm and devotion of our team members who have served or will serve as the senior leadership team or program directors. Their support in these vital roles is critical to our success in reaching our objectives. Thank you again to Michelle Roehm for your past leadership, to Gordon McCray, Gordon Soenksen, David Patterson, Yvonne Hinson, Pat Dickson, Bill Marcum, Umit Akinc, Bill Davis and Sherry Moss for your ongoing leadership, and to Charles Iacovou, Scott Shafer and Derrick Boone for stepping into your new roles.

We are committed to continuing to evolve our programs, to better serving our students and alumni, and to providing new opportunities for our faculty and staff for their personal and professional development. I hope that you are excited at the possibilities that these enhancements will bring and hope you will join me in congratulating our colleagues on their new responsibilities and thanking those who have served in these roles over the past couple years for their remarkable contributions. 

Regards,

Steve

All in the Family

Family businesses are the backbone of the economy and the North Carolina Family Business Center is set to  honor the efforts of four businesses. This year’s awards event will be held at the Discovery Place Museum in Charlotte on May 6 from 6:30-9 pm.

Here are the 2009-2010 winners:

Small Category:                         Griffith Real Estate Services, Charlotte
Medium Category:                     Partners in Care, Charlotte
Large Category:                        Pate Dawson Co., Goldsboro
Century Award:                         Birch Brothers Southern Inc., Waxhaw

Congratulations!

Summer is Nearing … and We’re Still Blogging!

May is nearing, and for many students at the Wake Forest University Schools of Business that will mean a break from classes, except for the year-round evening program. Many of our bloggers will be participating in internships or taking international trips, and we will be sure to keep you up to date. I, along with several bloggers, will be in summer sessions, so there will be more going on even as the temperatures in North Carolina surpass 90 degrees.

*****

I want to take a minute to thank all of our inaugural bloggers for buying into a great concept: sharing their experiences to give others a window into the student life at Wake Forest. In particular I want to recognize two MA students who are wrapping up their time at Wake: Lauren Collins and Jen Ratliff. We can only hope they will keep us informed as to their future plans, and we wish them success in everything they do! Congratulations on your accomplishments!

We are also including a release that Wake Forest issued earlier this week, discussing our recognition in TopMBA.com and a wrap up of the many events covered by our team over the past three months.

Wake Forest's “Firsthand Experiences” blog recognized by TopMBA.com

April 20, 2010

The student blog for the Wake Forest University Schools of Business was recently recognized as a must follow website for perspective MBA candidates.
TopMBA.com promoted the Twitter account for “Firsthand Experiences” as a vital destination for those considering business school, calling it “a highly entertaining feed that gives great info” about the program. The account serves as a companion site for the student-run blog, located at www.wakeforestmba.blogspot.com.
The honor caps a busy stretch for the blogging team. In recent months, team members have played a critical role providing social media coverage for the 20th Annual Marketing Summit (www.marketingsummitlive.com) and for the 11th Annual Elevator Competition (www.elevatorcompetitionlive.com). The websites drew more than 50,000 visitors as the events took place.
Since August, the 12-member Firsthand Experiences team has provided an inside view of the courses, programs and clubs within the Wake Forest University Schools of Business, using the blog, Twitter and Facebook. The goal has been to give candidates and prospective students a window into student life.
Paul Davis, who leads the blogging team, said that he first envisioned the initiative as a way to unite the student body and provide an informational resource to prospects. “We are here to help people find out more about the Wake Forest Schools of Business, helping them understand what sets us apart from other programs,” said Davis.
“The best thing about the blog is that it addresses the entire student experience,” Davis added. “One day there might be insights from one of our many guest lecturers, and the next day you could see one of our bloggers discussing community service or an impromptu social event.”
Firsthand Experiences shares perspectives from across Wake Forest’s business school programs, giving readers a complete picture of graduate school. Full- and Part-time MBA students blog, along with candidates within the Master of Arts in Management program. Plans are in place to add contributors from the school’s Charlotte MBA programs and to include Master of Science in Accountancy experiences.
Other members of the Firsthand Experiences blogging team include Justin Berthelot (MBA ’11), Lauren Collins (MA ’10), Rahul Goyal (MBA ’11), Ahkesha Murray (MBA ’11), Molly Nunn (MBA ’11), Jen Ratliff (MA ’10), and Bobbie Shrivastav (MBA ’11).

Not Resting on Our Laurels

This week we got some good news about the full-time and working professional MBA program rankings. For the first time since 2007, the Full-time Program is back in the Top 50! Also, congratulations goes to Bill Davis and all of those associated with the part-time MBA working professional programs (in Winston-Salem and Charlotte) for being the only school in North Carolina to be ranked in the Top 50!

It took a lot of work in the extra-curricular parts of the program to make this happen. The admissions team really rolled up their sleeves and worked harder than ever to improve the admissions profile of our incoming students and they are doing the same this year. Thank you Stacy, Carrie, Allison, Kevin, Ginny, LaKesha, Sarah, Pat and Lance!

The career management center’s outcomes from last year were also a major factor in our rankings improvement. Salaries and placement rates at three months after graduation really helped us this year. Thank you to Guy, Beth, Mike, Lori and Lisa for all your work to make this happen. Marlane and Emily are doing a great job this year with the graduating MA class. We have wonderful additions to our CMC staff this year (Phil, Hansford, Eric and Janice) and we know they will help to continuously build the success of the CMC.

Thanks also go to Sylvia Green and Courtney Cashin for their work in getting the word out about WFU! Improvements in our website and live coverage of the Marketing Summit and the Elevator Competition were among the many wonderful additions to our visibility this year!

There are countless others to thank and I’m sorry for leaving out those who have worked so hard. Much credit goes to the faculty who deliver great courses year after year and to those individuals serving our students every day both inside and outside the classroom. Betsy, Lisa, Jan, Ronda and Amy – thank you so much for being there for our students when they need you!

BUT, there is still much work to do. Lisa and I spent much of last week conducting exit interviews with the graduating class and we appreciate your feedback and suggestions for continued improvement. As we compile the data from these interviews, there are several major themes which stand out that we will address. In addition to focusing on ways to better articulate the vision and mission of the school, continuing to develop stronger relations with our alumni, and strengthening and growing our recruiter contacts in the business world, we also need to work on evolving the curriculum for the full-time program. This is exactly what we are about to do! All of your feedback about classes, course sequence and experiences within each concentration will be considered as we undergo a significant curriculum review and re-design. Substantial effort is being made to implement necessary changes to the second-year curriculum, to maximize your experience next year.

In addition to the curriculum work, I am excited that all full-time students will be getting mentors next year who will be able to directly help them with career development, contacts and support above and beyond your CMC career coaches. I’m very thankful to Hansford for getting this piloted this year with the MA class and rolled out to the full-time program next year.

So, while there’s much more work to do and we certainly do not want to rest on our recent laurels, I would ask that we all take a brief moment to celebrate our achievements and then roll up our sleeves and get ready to tackle the next challenge! Students, faculty, staff and administration are all important parts of this process.

~ Sherry Moss

Rolling Out the Red Carpet

David McGrady is a first-year student in the evening MBA program and an ambassador for the Wake Forest University Schools of Business. In both capacities, he spent the past weekend welcoming students to the first of two Red Carpet events designed to get accepted candidates accustomed to the Wake Forest experience. Here are his initial thoughts, with more to come.

*****

Red Carpet weekend is the first opportunity for every admitted student to the full-time MBA, evening MBA, MSA, and MA programs to join together in a formal event. Last weekend’s event is the first of two this year that can help an admitted student determine if they want to join our Wake Forest family. Many in attendance had already determined that Wake would be their home for the next year or two. But for those who remain undecided, this was an opportunity for them to get an overall feel for the community, meet other admitted students, and interact with the faculty that Wake Forest has to offer.

The weekend had plenty to offer with house/apartment hunting, multiple chances to socialize with future peers and use some free time to explore Winston-Salem. The final event of the weekend was a chance for the admitted students to ask any forgotten questions of the weekend and hear from our Dean Steve Reinemund about our current momentum at Wake Forest. The night started with current SGA president David Madison (left) talking about his decision to attend Wake Forest and his experiences from his first year of MBA school. After what seemed like only a few minutes the night was almost over and with a cling of a glass the Dean stood. Most of us have heard him speak before but for some this was their first opportunity to grasp the presence of our great leader. His past experience, including as CEO of PepsiCo, speaks for itself but tonight he gave a few words of wisdom to every student about to make the transition into a graduate school program.

He began with a simple questions: “Why do you want to go back?” Next, he shared his reason for going back after starting at IBM. He quickly realized that he was unprepared to truly excel in the business world and that he needed to go back to school. But the dean challenged every student to make their own decision about what is best for them. The second part of his speech was about momentum. He stated that momentum is critical in both your career and organization if they are to move forward.

It gave the Dean another reason to discuss the recent rankings (#46 rank from U.S. News & World Report, a five-place improvement from 2009) and accomplishments of the Schools of Business that shows the current momentum at Wake Forest. This ended the night on an upbeat note for the ones who had already decided to attend Wake next year. And it gave undecided prospects something to consider on the ride or flight home the next day.

Building a Better Team

During my Project Management Institute Prep class, there was a discussion around the importance of developing the project team. In order to have a high-performing team, it is important to develop the project team. Per PMI, tools and techniques for project managers to utilize are interpersonal skills, training, team-building activities, and recognition and rewards.

What caught my attention during the class were the five stages of development of a team, which are referred to as Tuckman’s Stages:

• Form: The team meets and learns about the project and the objectives.
• Storm: The work of the project begins to get started.
• Norm: The team works together and adjusts their work habits.
• Perform: The team functions as a team – unit.
• Adjourn: The team completes the work and moves on.

For the programs that have one more year left, are we still going back to the norm stage? How do we get past from norm to the perform stage – a stage that we are working together as a team and as an organized unit? There are several roles our team members can play, that can be constructive or destructive. Constructive roles can range from initiators – whose attitude is “let’s do this” – to gate keeper, who helps others participate. Destructive roles can hurt a team as you can have aggressors, who criticize and deflates status of others, blockers, who reject others view, or dominators, who tries to take over the discussion. Are we effectively utilizing the tools, such as interpersonal skills, which include communication, influence, leadership, motivation, and problem solving methods effectively to build the team?

~ Bobbie Shrivastav

Winding Down

Three weeks left! By all rights, the downhill portion of the course; amazing how no one ever tells you how much effort goes into ensuring you don’t crash when you’re going downhill! Those little tiny rocks look just as dangerous as the boulders when you’re headed towards them at 100 mph.

The MAs are in the final module of our studies here at Wake Forest and I’m beginning to feel slightly nostalgic. We’re taking International Business, Strategic Management and Macroeconomics – what a way to finish! The discussions in each of the classes truly reflect how much we’ve grown and changed over the past 10 months, and it’s interesting to hear the debates that these former liberal arts students can get into!

Our Action Learning Project is winding down as well, although this current project with ISP Sports has brought every possible class we’ve taken together for Team 15. We’ve had to use all of our resources and know-how to figure out the solution that ISP presented us with – but we’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response from them, which to any consulting team always feels great. ISP has been a wonderful sponsor to work with as they are consistently supportive and welcoming to the MA team. They have facilitated our learning process outside of the classroom and given us wonderful insight into the business world we are all so anxious to enter.

Once again, the progress that we’ve made over the past few months is marked. Not only is it shown through our conversations in class, but with our professors, visiting speakers, interviews, and our families. In talking with Professor Shafer the other night at a team meeting, my team mentioned how much we felt we had gained from our program; in fact, far more than we thought we would entering the MA program at Wake.

The MAs are looking forward to our gala event with our mentors next Wednesday, where we will formally extend our thanks to the people who have helped us through the last few months and given us some true and heartfelt advice not only about our careers, but also surviving in the business world. My mentor with the Russell Agency has been such a wonderful gift to me and I think it’s one of the most valuable parts of the MA program. Wake is known for its alumni network and the welcoming atmosphere, but so often the skill and desire of its staff to meet every possible need of the student is overlooked.

So has it been stressful? Yes. But the experience in working with a team, gaining a fundamental knowledge of the business world, and building myself as a business person has been invaluable to me.

~ Jen Ratliff

Dean Reinemund Talks Momentum as Rankings Released

Momentum: force or speed of movement; impetus, as of a physical object or course of events
That is the word that perhaps best represents the Wake Forest University Schools of Business after finishing among the fifty best business schools for the first time since 2007, according to the latest rankings from U.S. News & World Report.
Dean Steve Reinemund clearly had momentum in mind as he discussed his vision for the Wake Forest Schools of Business with about 50 evening MBA students Wednesday night. Clearly it was top of mind when he discussed the latest ranking, though he was unable to tease out the final result to interested students.

Though mum on the placement, the smile on Dean Reinemund's face gave away his general pleasure at the results. He emphasized during the Q&A that the actual ranking is less relevant than overall improvement. He favors momentum over ranking and “absolute results” instead of comparisons to others. The key is for each MBA, MA and MSA student to have pride the in the degree each is working hard to capture.

“We want you to feel that your education will increase in value,” he said.
Wake Forest University's overall ranking was 46 this year. The university's part-time business school program was ranked at 31, marking its first finish in the Top 50 since 2004.
The Wake Forest Schools of Business is making other moves designed to instill pride among current students and alumni, while adding luster for those considering its programs.
Diversity, a hallmark of Reinemund’s corporate career, will be more noticeable. The business schools are set to hire two Hispanic women to tenure-track posts, marking an historic first. Administrators are also in final negotiations that would add a second African-American professor to the faculty, he said.
Facilities are poised to improve. Reinemund said his team has secured $25 million of the $45 million needed to construct a new building for the schools of business, which he hopes to have completed and filled by fall 2013. He said there are also plans for a new building in Charlotte to accommodate students there.
It was obvious that the key word in all this was momentum, with optimism that the schools of business is gaining such movement. It is an exciting time to be at the university.

Fast Forward: Moving Quickly in B-School

It's been a while since I last blogged, but since the moment school started back up in January, everyone has been running a hundred miles an hour. It's been difficult to get on any sort of legit schedule; things change so rapidly and without notice. Hopefully, things will calm down for the final mini, but probably not.
So, let's talk classes. We are finally at the point where we have declared concentrations and selected two electives for mini four. I'm enrolled in Financial Statement Analysis and Practical Issues of Marketing; my concentration is marketing. I went back and forth between marketing and finance, but in the end decided to stick with what I know. Most of my interviews were for marketing positions, and sitting in on the finance elective found me applying to switch classes DURING class. I'm certain I made the right decision!
Trips: I spent my spring break in Nicaragua for Project Nicaragua. Basically, we consult with local business owners and teach seminars on basic business concepts. The people we taught and work with can have pretty primitive business knowledge, yet they are some of the smartest people I've met. If there was something they didn't understand, it was usually our fault, not theirs. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I cannot wait to get back. This is why I came here, to do things like this.
Jobs: This is where it gets interesting. I participated in quite a bit of on-campus recruiting. I had an offer from one company, with a deadline to let them know the day I returned from Nicaragua. I had asked for an extension, as I was waiting on two more offers. They said no, so I said no. It was one of the scariest things I've ever done, turning down a sure thing in this economy for possibilities down the road. Luckily for me, it paid off, as I was offered a summer position with one of my top choices! I'm pretty pumped, and it's an enormous load off of my shoulders.
What's upcoming? Two electives, three required courses, finding housing in Atlanta, going to China for two weeks before the internship starts, and becoming an uncle. Things move quickly in B-school!

Justin Berthelot (second from left) and fellow Wake Forest students serving as teachers for a day in Nicaragua.

Wake Students Shine Online

Wake Forest University’s visibility on the Web has seemingly exploded in the last 12 months, following a trend recently highlighted by TopMBA that looks at how much perspective students are also using social media to evaluate potential MBA programs. Using a variety of media, Wake students are making a name for themselves and the university.

Here are just a view recent examples:

Sandie Taylor (right), a first-year in the full-time program, co-authored an article that ran on Forbes.com. Taylor collaborated with Selena Rezvani, the author of The Next Generation of Woman Leaders: What You Need to Learn But Won’t Learn in Business School, on an article examining why business schools are failing women. The duo determined that administrators must take responsibility for “elevating women’s status in the business world and growing the female leadership pipeline.

The article makes a good argument: MBA programs still admit just 30% of women annually, while law and medical schools are almost balanced. (Women also make up less than 20% of the faculty at some top business schools.) Further, they argue that business schools must do more for gender-specific leadership training and matching MBA candidates with mentors. It will be interesting to see if Taylor collaborates again with Rezvani (left), who earned her MBA from Johns Hopkins University.

The entire article starts here.

Another student generating buzz online is Andy Rinehart (right), who is also nearing the halfway point at the Wake Forest University Schools of Business. Rinehart is one of several MBAs blogging on BusinessWeek.com, and he used his last post to provide a firsthand account of preparation for this year’s Marketing Summit. Wake, the host team, placed second in the competition in February. "It should come as no great surprise that I really enjoy competition in all its forms," Rinehart declares before detailing why he joined the team and how they tackled their case from IBM. The entire blog can be accessed here.

We will also express our excitement after finding out that TopMBA for included our Twitter site and, by extension, this blog on its list of 10 social media sites to follow. Every member of this team greatly enjoys giving current, future, and perspective students the inside track on the Wake Forest Schools of Business experience, and it is rewarding to know that others are taking notice!

~ Paul Davis

Competition for a Good Cause

“All the single ladies! All the single ladies!” How do you pause a crab-walk relay and start a short dance party where MBA students and Special Olympic athletes from all over the country are gathered for a very special occasion? Well, you just ask! And that is precisely what Bradford, one of the Wake Forest MBA team’s Special Olympic athletes, did last weekend at the 2010 MBA games … and subsequently started a brief dance party right in the middle of the relay! One Beyonce finished, crab-walking resumed.

Sponsored by Duke’s Fuqua School of Business and located on Duke’s east campus fields, the 2010 MBA Games was weekend of both fun and challenging events – all in honor of and to raise money for Special Olympics. Wake Forest University sent a team that included full-time students, an evening student, and a spouse; the group included Diego Espinoza, Traci Lee, Matt Starker, Matt Phillips, Jeff Hayes, Kelly Hayes, Ian Jankelowitz, Martha Ferger, and Molly Nunn – and two Special Olympic athletes, Ben and Bradford.

The event began on Friday night where teams gathered and competed in a skit competition and then on Saturday morning, the games began! Starting at 7 am, there was a 5k race followed by the opening ceremony around 8:30am. Teams competed in a wide range of events from cornhole, to the football throw, to the three-legged/wheel barrow business suit race, to the egg toss, soccer shoot-out, brief case toss, tug-o-war, dizzy bat, and all the way to water events. Phew! There was an intense spirit of competition during the day, but it was overshadowed by the unique experience of being able to spend time and get to know our athletes. It was an honor to be a part of their day and work with them through each of the athletic challenges.

Once the day was winding down, there was a closing ceremony in which each of the athletes was called up, one-by-one, to receive their medals. We were able to meet and exchange emails with one of our athlete’s parents and later that night, there was a banquet to commemorate and close the weekend. Overall, it was a truly wonderful experience that not only included bonding as a Wake Forest team but also having the opportunity to get to know two fine Special Olympic athletes and gentlemen. I cannot wait until next year’s games.

-Molly Nunn

Wake Students Win Case Competition in Greece

A team of four Wake Forest University undergraduate accountancy and finance students won the KPMG Global Case Competition in Athens. The competition, which took place April 7 – 9, included teams from 11 countries.
Representing the U.S. in the competition were senior Andrea Kensy of Upper Holland, Pa.; juniors Swayze Smartt of Dallas, and Zachary Zimbile of Allenwood, N.J.; and sophomore Louis Brotherton of Seattle.
The team performed well in the first round and advanced to the finals, competing against teams from France, Sweden, and Germany. There were also teams from Russia, the United Kingdom, Norway, Canada, Spain, Luxemburg, and the Czech Republic.
The Wake Forest team qualified for the international competition by winning the national round of the KPMG Global Case Competition in January.
Dean of Business, Steve Reinemund, said,"I am extremely proud of this Wake Forest student team for their tremendous accomplishment, and our talented faculty for their unmatched commitment to share their knowledge and help students excel and become leaders amongst their peers.”
"These students represented Wake Forest and themselves extremely well," Yvonne Hinson, Wake Forest Schools of Business associate professor of accountancy who directs the undergraduate and graduate accountancy programs, said. "We could not possibly be more proud of Andrea, Louis, Swayze, and Zachary. Their hard work has certainly paid off and we look forward to celebrating with them when they return."
The entire Wake Forest community would like to congratulate the team on their outstanding accomplishment! To honor their accomplishment, President Hatch, Dean Reinemund and others help a celebration on April 12 outside Wait Chapel.


Undergraduate business students from Wake Forest University, (left to right) Zach Zimbile, Louis Brotherton, Andrea Kensy and Swayze Smartt are named world champions after winning the KPMG Global Case Competition in Greece.

A Turnaround Story

On April 12, Steve Fairbanks, the president of Iowa Mold Tooling, will share his experiences about the strategy and processes he used to turn around IMT. Do not miss this opportunity to hear about successful strategies/processes from the perspective of an industry leader! Please stay after the event to enjoy food and networking opportunities.

 

KPMG Chair to Discuss Trust, Confidence and Opportunities

Timothy Flynn, the chairman of KPMG International, will deliver the 23rd Hylton Lecture at Wake Forest University, with a speech called, “Restoring Trust, Building Confidence, Seizing Opportunities.”
Flynn will speak on Thursday, April 15 from 4:45-6 pm in Carswell Hall’s Annenberg Forum on campus. The lecture, hosted by the Wake Forest Schools of Business, is free and open to the public.
Flynn, who also chairs KPMG, has held key leadership positions throughout the company and currently serves as client-service partner for several of KPMG’s largest clients. Member firms for KPMG International have more than 140,000 professionals in 146 countries.
According to his bio, Flynn is dedicated to creating a values-driven culture that helps fulfill KPMG’s “Promise of Professionalism” to its people, its clients and the capital markets it serves. In 2008 he served on the Advisory Committee on the Auditing Profession, established by U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry M. Paulson Jr. The committee made recommendations to foster a more sustainable auditing profession. Flynn also has been named to the National Association of Corporate Directors’ 2009 Directorship 100 roster, as well as Accounting Today’s 2009 list of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting. He has spoken on leadership, ethics and integrity at several colleges and universities, including Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, Fordham, Howard, Wharton School of Business and Yale.
The Hylton Lecture Series in Accountancy was established in 1980 to honor Delmar P. Hylton, who started Wake Forest’s accountancy program in 1949 and helped build it into one of the top accounting programs in the nation.

Reflections for the MA Program

With a little over a month to go in the MA Program, I encourage you to reflect on just how far you have come in nine short months. Think about what you accomplished in your Action Learning Projects, the Excel and general modeling skills you developed in your Quantitative Business Modeling course, and how much better you understand the job search process.

In addition to establishing new friendships that for some of you may last the rest of your life, you have come a long way toward developing a solid foundation in the fundamental of business.  

With the weather turning warmer and the light at the end of the tunnel fast approaching, I challenge each of you to raise your intensity and finish out the program with everything you have.  It saddens me to report that in the last couple of weeks I have heard more negative comments from faculty and staff about the MA Program than positive comments which has definitely not been the norm. For example, I have had reports of large numbers of students missing classes, apathy on the part of MA students for attending events, students not responding to email, students being disrespectful of one another, and even a MA student who cancelled an interview with an on-campus recruiter the day of the scheduled interview. All of these reflect poorly on the MA Program.  Through the MA Program, you are making a substantial investment in yourself. There is a insidious disease lurking called Seniorititis.  Don’t let it shortchange the investment you are making in your personal development. 

Finally, in closing if your team has not already lined up a time to meet with me for breakfast, lunch or dinner, please do so at your earliest convenience.

~Scott Shafer

In With the New…

As the academic year nears its conclusion, the leadership of several clubs is passing the torch on to the next class. Here are a few notable announcements from the past week:

Erik Welker (right) will become the president of the Healthcare Club for 2010-2011. Jim Arenschield is the new  communications director and Will Partin is set to become the logistics coordinator. Nancy Rinehart was tapped to be the first healthcare conference and case competition liaison.

“We know that next year’s leaders will continue expanding the presence of the Healthcare Club and Concentration,” the outgoing officers said in an email to the student body.

WGWIB (formerly the Babcock Women in Business) announced that Ahkesha Murray (left), one of our bloggers, will preside over the group over the next year. Sandie Taylor, who has contributed to our side, is the new vice president. Katie Knarr is the vice president of finance.

“These women will do an excellent job in continuing the success of WGWIB and making it even better,” the group said in a release.

Elevator Competition: A Few Last Thoughts

This year’s Elevator Competition was an amazing experience!

A week has passed since the event has ended, giving me enough time to reflect on the excitement that took place. Perhaps the most thrilling part of the weekend involved riding along in the elevators, watching hopeful entrepreneurs rapidly fire off stats and details to judges, who never hesitated to ask questions.

Wait, maybe the best part was sitting in the boardroom, as one of the finalists was able to present to an attentive audience of venture capitalists, professors and business leaders. I came away impressed at how these students kept their poise and even found moments for humor under such stressful circumstances.

Then again, it was rewarding to meet most of the 34 teams who pitched their business plans, ranging from SECA Productions, who were making their first appearance at a national competition, to others who had been in many contests but never one as fast as this. I enjoyed getting to know the entrepreneurs of tomorrow, pitching everything from water products in East Africa to software systems designed to help college coaches with recruiting.

Finally, the evening gala was a first-class event. Congratulations to GlucaGo and AutismSphere for taking the top honors. Seeing everyone relax and network after running the gauntlet of pitches and presentations was fulfilling. Making lasting contacts with representatives of other schools and meeting the judges was a highly anticipated part of my weekend. Overall, I may be unable to decide what was the best part of the Elevator Competition, though I am looking forward to conducting more research during next year’s event.

~ Paul Davis